"SHERLENE took me in when I was eight." Axelle began with. "I, much like Gideon and Geneva, had lost my parents shortly before then. Sharlene and I had... an interesting relationship, to say the least. Most people would call it aggressive. I guess I'm old enough now to admit I was one stubborn bastard back then. I hope you're listening Sherlene cause I'll only admit this once."

A few more chuckles reigned through the crowed, giving Axelle the much needed motivation to continue.

"I uh- I ended up leaving for a while. At the time, I thought it was the best decision to make. I uh- I thought it was something I needed to do." The stinging sensation had returned, but Axelle swallowed the bubbling pain threatening to breach the surface.

Geneva could hear it in Axelle's voice though. She heard it the second Axelle starting speaking. Axelle was being vague, even now, and it was starting to irritate Geneva. She needed to- she deserved to know why this woman left the way she did.

"I never fully lost touch with Sherlene. At first, it was against my request to be left alone. Sherlene hired someone to keep tabs on me, who'd update her on my whereabouts. I kept changing numbers, only for her to get ahold of the next one. Eventually, I just gave her one number that she could call when she needed me, really needed me. This wasn't even a few months ago. To think the first call to that line was-" Axelle's voice refused to continue, as she glanced back over at Sherlene.

That information was new to Jackie. It helped her connect some dots... but she didn't understand why Sherlene would keep that a secret from her.

Before Axelle could continue, she was interrupted by someone. Geneva had abruptly stood to he feet. She wasn't even aware of what she was doing, until she was half way to the door.

All she knew was that she couldn't do this.

She couldn't sit here and listen to Axelle talk about who needed who.

Axelle moved almost instinctively to go after her, but Jackie was the one who stopped her. She had her hand gently but firmly placed on Axelle's shoulder. "Not here, sweetheart. Not now." Jackie's voice was low for just their ears. "You get through your speech, and I'll go check on her."

All Axelle could do was nod. It wasn't her place to chase Geneva out like this. She deserved to feel every emotion she did.

So Axelle did as told. She finished the eulogy, daring to be even more vague than she already was, but it seemed to go over well with the the attendees. What they knew about the situation to begin with, was the very definition of vague.

Gideon stepped up to speak next. His speech was longer, and very heartfelt. It only made sense, considering Gideon had spent the most time with Sherlene out of the three. He was the first child who came to her home, and he was the last one to leave. He spoke about the abundance of love and patience she had shown him when he adjusted to life in Shoreville. Gideon had come from a busy city life, and this country living was a polar opposite.

It was like he was meant for this place, though. The open roads. The clear air. Even when he had the option to, he didn't move far.

Jackie and Geneva had returned right as Gideon was finishing his speech, but the cold shoulder Geneva gave Axelle made it known that they were about to exchange even less pleasantries. Axelle wasn't sure what part of the speech pissed her off, but she was willing to wager that it was the thing as a whole.

The fact that Axelle got up there.

The fact that Axelle came here to begin with.

Geneva didn't speak at the funeral. Instead, a few of Sherlene's friends said some words, then the funeral director read the car list for the burial, and everyone started the walk to their designated vehicles.

Geneva couldn't bring herself to get up on that stage, when she clearly barely knew the woman who raised her. How could Sherlene keep something like this from her? That she had been in contact with Axelle all these years? Geneva thought that the reason Axelle never came home, had something to do with Sherlene... but if Sherlene and Axelle were on speaking terms, then what was Axelle's reasoning for never reaching out to Geneva?

Jackie tried to talk her down from an outburst. She insisted that once the family got through today, they would discuss what's been left unsaid all these years. Geneva had returned for no one else, besides Jackie. She would have left the funeral completely, if it wasn't for this woman who was every much a mother to her as Sherlene was.

The burial was shorter, considering everyone had the opportunity to say their goodbyes during the open casket service. Those close to Sherlene Wilson, watched as the funeral home aides slowly lowered her into the grave. The family then started the process of covering her. Geneva and Axelle remained quiet for the burial in its entirety, but Jackie took it upon herself to make small talk with some of the townspeople. She felt as if Geneva's sudden exit had created an odd ambience around the funeral, and she didn't want the family's personal matters to interrupt with others grieving.

Axelle didn't give much of a fuck about how anyone grieved at this point. She was now longing for this to be over- this perpetual hell.

She wanted to go home, to her disgusting studio apartment on the brink of ruins in a shit town, because you know who wasn't there? This family. Back home, she got to figuratively lay in the filthy roach infested bed she made for herself, and only worry about herself.

Here, this place reminded her of the hurt she created and left, when she left. She really had her fare share of fuck ups, and her mental health couldn't take having them constantly shoved down her throat.

Axelle was thinking maybe it was best if she left tonight. She could wake up and sneak out when everyone else was asleep- Axelle cut that thought short. No, she couldn't do that to Geneva again. Even if this woman wanted to hate her until she herself passed on, that was fine with Axelle... but she wasn't just going to leave without saying anything again. Though she had to tell herself this everyday, she wasn't the person she was back then.

As the family trickled in to the Wilson residence that evening, Geneva went straight to her room. Axelle did the same, yearning for just a moment of privacy again. A moment to herself where her expressions didn't always have to be so calculated.

Jackie allowed it, deciding that tomorrow was the day they would air out some of the past. Maybe convince Axelle to tell the other foster kids the reason as to why she left. The only explanation Sherlene ever gave the children, was that Axelle had left after a disagreement and of her own accord. This was partially true, but Jackie knew there was more to it that Geneva at the very least deserved to know.

Tonight, she thought she'd give these unfortunate souls a rest.

This evening was more vexing than the previous, for both Axelle and Geneva. Sleep had no intentions of finding them for quite a while.

Axelle laid back on her uncomfortable mattress, staring up at those glowing stars as she thought of what was to come when she returned home. She had finally gotten it somewhat together. Picked up the pieces after the mess he made. The mess Sherlene had promised her he would eventually make. This wasn't much of a life she was born into, but man did she do a stellar job at making it worse.

Axelle thought about all of the conversations she shared with Sherlene, from nine years ago till now. Regardless of the mess Axelle brought her way, this woman refused to give up on her. That was what made this entire process all the more difficult... learning to live without her. Axelle felt more lost than she had, when she first left this little town. Back then even through copious amounts of teenage angst, she knew deep down that Sherlene would always care. Would always be there.

If only that always was as eternal as it sounded.

Axelle took one slow deep inhale, before allowing the tight air to pass through her. Maybe it would be best if I grabbed some fresh air, she thought to herself.

Geneva wasn't doing any better. In fact, she just so happened to be laying down in her bedroom, the same way Axelle had, staring up at the ceiling. Unfortunately, her ceiling wasn't as relaxing as the glow in the dark stars located in Axelle's room. Her ceiling had a large brown spot from where a rain storm had created a leak. When she was younger, she used to fantasize what the blob looked like when she was bored. Now, she settled for it just being a blob.

It was the funeral itself, that made Geneva's thoughts spiral. Had she truly meant so little to Axelle, that she hadn't even bothered to reach out? And if what caused Axelle to leave, was Sherlene... then how come Axelle could mend that bridge, but not the one that was currently on fire between her and Geneva?

All these questions did, was propel her further down that rabbit hole. Geneva reached across her side table to pull out her phone. She searched for Allan's contact, then started to call.

Allan didn't pick up the first call. It was well into night now, but Geneva needed someone to talk to.

Anyone.

She gave Allan another call. The phone rang once... then again... then again. It wasn't until the fourth ring, when she heard a voice. "Hello?" A woman mumbled into the line. Her voice was raspy from sleep, as if she was woken up suddenly. It was difficult to tell, but she sounded vaguely like one of Allan's assistants.

"Who the fuck is this?" Geneva asked, not even bothering to hide her harsher tone.

"Oh fuck-" the woman started to say something. She could hear Allan in the background, and though there was a lot of rustling and shuffling, the words 'why the fuck would you answer-' came through clear as day before the call was cutoff completely.

Geneva sat there in that uncomfortable bed, staring at her phone like it was alien technology. She wasn't sure she knew how to respond to what she had just heard. At first, she tried to entertain the fact that maybe she herself wasn't sure what she had just heard...

But she knew.

Deep down, she had known for a while now.

She was doing that thing Axelle used to say she always did, where she'd try to put a band aid on a severed leg. She thought back to that exact moment, months before Axelle left.

Both the girls had been laying in the field behind Sherlene's home, staring up at the bluest of blue skies. This was how they liked to spend their time after class, before Sherlene could force them into chores. Axelle liked to question why Jackie was around if the kids did all the tidying up anyways, but deep down Axelle didn't care. It was just one of the many things she said or did, to get a reaction out of Sherlene. It was like a game for young Axelle.

"You sure do like your bubble." Axelle had said, turning to Geneva suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Young Geneva asked.

"Bubble," Axelle reiterated. "You're not dumb, Geneva. You pick up on more than anyone else including yourself, gives you credit for... Yet you're content living in this ignorance and for what? An image? I know it isn't for your best interest."

Before Geneva could recall the rest of that conversation, her phone unexpectedly started to buzz in her hand. It was Allan calling.

She stared at the device a moment, wondering whether or not she dared to answer. What would she say if she did? What could she? Allan had just proven what she knew- that whatever love was left in this relationship, had taken a nose dive months ago. Geneva wasn't one to quit until the fat lady sings, but this was... this was just fucking exhausting at this point.

Regardless, her finger tapped that green answer bar, and slid it across her screen. She brought the phone to her ears, not even bothering to speak. She knew Allan would dive in first. And he did.

"Listen, babe, I can explain. It's not what- this isn't what it looks like- I"

Geneva found it funny that he was the one to phone her back, yet his ability to finish a sentence was nonexistent.

"There's nothing to explain." Geneva said as calmly as she could. "There was barely anything to explain before I called tonight, but really... There's nothing now."

"Please, babe don't-"

"I'm going to bed now. I'll spend tomorrow with my family, and by the time I return Monday morning, I want your shit out of my home."

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